


Follow the Flames

by Rozene_Nobody



Category: One Piece
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Portgas D. Ace Lives, Post-Marineford, Shirohige | Whitebeard | Edward Newgate Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:35:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26163508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rozene_Nobody/pseuds/Rozene_Nobody
Summary: [Soulmate Au!] [Portgas D. Ace x Female Reader]Following a completely different aftermath of Marineford where all the Whitebeard Pirates made it out unscathed, a young woman finally dares to find her soulmate. The only problems are a haunting past that tries to follow her and that in a world where soulmates are rare… Her soulmate may not want her.
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace/Reader
Comments: 22
Kudos: 85





	1. Searching for You

**Author's Note:**

> **This story was originally published on August 26, 2020 on my quotev and can be found[Here!](https://www.quotev.com/story/13024312/Follow-the-Flames) **
> 
> And should absolutely not be anywhere else.  
> 
> 
> Since I have went with the anime/manga two times in my Luffy fic and (getting there with) my Shanks fic and killed off Ace both times, I have been working on this story for a while! Ace deserves the love I keep neglecting to give him in those fanfictions and to be honest I am still in denial that Ace, Thatch, and Whitebeard are gone. Since we reached that point in the Luffy story I figured this can counter all the angst we endured with fluff!
> 
> So yes! **In this fanfic, the Marineford war goes completely differently! Ace and all the Whitebeard pirates are alive (Thatch included) but are in hiding/recovery from the war** (which means Luffy either went to go get his crew or he decided to train but we aren’t going into that mess). To make things clear this is a completely different universe, a soulmate alternative universe!
> 
> The whole focus of this story is on Ace getting the love and life he deserves!
> 
> Reader is Ace’s age!
> 
> This fic is overall fluffy but there will be heavy angst only from reader's past that comes to find her!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is looking for her soulmate.

1st Pov/Reader's Pov

Walking into the bar, I can’t help but feel more disheartened than I have ever felt in a long time. I feel like I am so close yet so far to finding who I have been looking for. I had made sure that my clothes were in place, that the scars on me were not noticeable. I go up to the counter and instead of getting alcohol even though I desire to get buzzed, I order water to keep my mind sharp.

The bartender gives me an odd look considering this is a bar but says nothing as he hands me a glass.

“Thank you. Hey, can you perhaps tell me what-“

The bartender cuts me off as soon as he realizes something. “Wait! You are that girl! Damn, I would hate to be you right now.”

What? The man hands me a flimsy piece of paper and my jaw almost drops to the floor in pure surprise. It is a bounty. To be more specific it is my bounty. It is way too high! 500,000,000 berries. I am going to be overestimated. All though it does have a name which is odd since I do not have a name. I frown as the marines or whoever truly wants me has decided to name me “Kame”, a common name meaning long-life.

I want to scoff at the idea.

“Your head is worth so much, but I have not seen your name in the newspaper. If you take note at the bottom, it says alive only. From your perplexed look, I can tell you have no idea how dangerous the New World is, do you?” The man asks.

I scowl before admitting it. “I do not. I have entered the New World weeks ago and only now gotten here by pure luck. I have no special talent or knowledge. I just know I need to get further until I can get to Whitebeard’s territory.”

“Oh, dear. Please call me Ito. I am afraid I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you really are lucky. You can’t just say his name like that out of nowhere because here is the bad news. This island is one of the first ones many visit in the New World. It is neutral ground for all pirates so that means anyone can be here. If the wrong person hears you say that name you are as good as dead. Now during the remainder of your time in my bar-“ Ito is cut off when something hard hits his head.

I look behind the counter to see a small elderly woman. She hit him with a large cane. Upon seeing me she offers me a smile.

“Sorry for his manners, young lady. I taught my grandson better than that and how to run _my_ bar better. You can call me Granny, dear. Anyway, I heard you mention Whitebeard? Please do tell me your intentions and I may be able to help you!” Granny says happily.

Ito scoffs. “She could be lying about her intentions and you would believe her you old hag!”

“My son will be hearing about this, Ito. Keep it up and he will make you go back home,” Granny retorts.

I speak up shyly, “I, uh, would love to tell you but can we do it somewhere more private?”

Granny nods and motions me to follow her to the backroom. I do give Ito an apologetic smile for intruding. The backroom leads to a hallway before we enter a home. Granny motions me over to a table where a teapot seems to be brewing some tea.

“Here have some! It should make you feel better! If I may, an old lady like me as seen many things. I figured the second you walked in here and I overheard you were looking for Whitebeard despite not knowing anything about the New World, that you have a terribly good secret. Whitebeard is a man that does not accept just anyone into his crew either. What is your intention?” Granny asks her eyes already locked onto the sleeves of my clothing.

I sigh and with hesitance remove the jacket I had on. The instant scar the jacket had hidden is now revealed to be letters on my upper left arm. Granny narrows her eyes down trying to read them but from how faint the scar is, she can’t tell.

“It appeared out of nowhere shortly after I turned seventeen. A few months later this one appeared,” I murmur turning around to raise the back of my shirt.

Granny gasps at what she sees, and I take that as my cue to cover myself again. Upon putting my clothes back on she stays quiet for a moment before asking, “Any other odd markings?”

“I do. One on my inner thigh but… I always had that one,” I mumble.

She nods and asks another question, “What do you know about soulmates?”

My smile is small as my unease grows. “I know that I have one and whoever they are, tried to remove the bond. I do not know how that happens but that was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. You can guess my intentions now… Based on the shape of the scar on my back, my soulmate is someone from Whitebeard’s crew. Based on the other scar I found the only bounty of one of the commanders who matches them and has the actual tattoos. Portgas D. Ace. I do not know if it is him for certain but whoever it is, they are the reason why I am alive,” I say grasping at my clothing.

Granny gives me a sad smile as she says, “Silly girl, based on that scar on your back alone, Whitebeard will welcome you into his family. You must have heard about the war five months ago. The war at Marineford… They barely made it out alive but somehow, they managed. I only know this because they passed by through here and Whitebeard, that hunk of a man, told me they were going to need a long while to recover. I do not know where they are, but I will point you in the right direction.”

I nod and go to thank her when she continues, “As for the soulmate part. Keep in mind that because of this war, if Portgas D. Ace is truly your other half, then he may have tried to destroy the soulmate bond if he thought he was going to die. You see, not much is known about them since soulmates are so rare. There are so many tales about them but the ones that have been proven to be true are that each soulmate has a shared symbol on them in the same spot. Yours would be the one you had since the day you were born. You two have shared the symbol from birth meant to be united with each other one day. Sadly, in this world, not all soulmates get to find each other. I am surprised that you have managed to make it to the New World to do so and it is brave. The scars you gained when you were seventeen seem to be your soulmate’s tattoos. That is the mysterious thing. Nobody knows why but whenever a soulmate gets something altering done to their body whether it be a scar from an injury, a tattoo, or even bruises, depending on the bond the other soulmate receives all of those marks in the form of a scar. Bruises go away and heal but the others last forever.”

I do not know if I want to continue to think as I process this new information, but I do want to ask another question. “Do you know more about the bond aspect? I honestly thought I was going to die when my soulmate tried to severe the bond. How does that even happen?” I ask remembering the pain from five months ago as if it were yesterday.

“What I have heard from that is in order for a soulmate bond to break is for both soulmates to reject. This process is very dangerous if only one soulmate does this and can end up in death, so chances are your soulmate did not know this. If both agree to go separate ways, it is easier and painless. You can feel your soulmate's emotions through the bond or with whatever they allow you to feel. What tends to happen is if you fully accept each other something beautiful happens. I have heard many things from that part. It is said that some soulmates quite literally glow for a while as their souls’ sync together to bringing ever-lasting joy and good-luck to not just them but those around them. That part gets iffy in different parts of the world,” Granny says looking like a hopeless romantic.

I ask my last question I can think of, “…Are they hereditary?”

That is the part that scares me. Granny frowns at this from remembering the horror stories that accompany the most uncertain thing. “We do not know.”

Granny and Ito ended up letting me stay for a few days to gather my strength and supplies. All while this Granny would tell me amazing stories about the Whitebeard pirates and her own forbidden love story with Whitebeard a few years ago. It was endearing to hear until my last day when the two became increasingly worried about me.

“You said I just needed to follow this Eternal pose? That is simple enough. I somehow made it this far, I have faith I will get where I need to be. I hope one day I can come back and thank you both for your kindness,” I say bowing to them.

Ito shakes his head at this while Granny tears up from my goodbye. It felt nice to converse like that with people I can trust but I got to remember not everyone is like that. It should take a few weeks at the most to the closest island in Whitebeard’s name.

~*~

“Man, can you believe that in a few days it will be half a year ago when we were totally messed up from Marineford?” Thatch asks with a big smile on his face.

Marco laughs as Jozu questions, “What do you mean? We are still pretty messed up. Pops and Ace are the ones who are still healing the most.”

Thatch only replies to Marco. “Marco, why’d you have to invite Mr. Serious?”

“Because if it were just you and me going for the alcohol run you would ditch me and go fill your own belly with alcohol leaving the crew crankier than they already are,” Marco states.

Jozu pauses as he fixes his grip on the barrels he has in his arms. Jozu carries at least four barrels while Thatch carries two. Marco glances at Jozu who paused.

“What’s up?”

“There’s a girl,” Jozu says nudging his chin in a certain direction.

The two with him are confused as to why Jozu would pause over a girl when they realize that is not the problem. Three men are surrounding just one girl and she seems powerless. Marco is ready to step in at any given moment but pauses when he hears her speak.

“I promise you; my name is not Kame or whatever the bounty fucking says. I am a completely normal person who has no talent whatsoever so if you would kindly let me pass before-“ One of the guys hit her.

“Before what? Yo, I think she is right. There is no way she is the girl from the bounty. She is totally weak!” The guy who hit her said.

The other one yanks her by her hair and murmurs, “Well if that is the case, it said only alive. Which means this girl is useless. Kill her.”

“Oh, son of a bit-“ The girl stops her insult as a knife enters her back.

It was only one stab but that is all it took before Marco has all three men on the ground whimpering in pain before falling unconscious. He helps the girl up and she goes to pull out the knife deep embedded into her.

“No, don’t do that. If it hit something serious you can bleed to death. Keep it in. We were just headed back to our ship. Let me help you,” Marco murmurs.

The girl can only nod and Marco lifts her up with ease. “Thatch, Jozu, let’s hurry,” Marco says.

All three are in agreement on getting the girl to the safety of their ship and as soon as they are there, Marco hurries to put her near Whitebeard so Thatch and Jozu can fill him in on what happened. Whitebeard watches with mild interest as Marco begins to work.

“I am going to take your jacket and shirt off to see the damage clearly. This is going to hurt, Miss. I apologize in advance,” Marco states.

However, as soon as he takes the jacket off and begins to lift the shirt, he freezes upon what he sees. Jozu is in shock too as Thatch completely ruins the seriousness of it.

“Whoa, when did we get another crewmember?”

“You idiot, that is not our tattoo-“ Jozu starts.

Marco continues, “It is a scar of it.”

The girl begins to panic as she realizes who they are. “Wait, you guys are the Whitebeard pirates?! I have been looking for you for months now! I… Did not want to drop this on you this way but I am in severe pain now and um… One of you guys-“

“One of my sons is her soulmate,” Whitebeard murmurs in awe.


	2. Angry Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! I am so looking forward to seeing your reactions to this fic! <3

Of course, I make a total fool of myself as soon as I run into the Whitebeard Pirates. I had no idea who they are, but they already have my trust for taking me in after getting stabbed… But now they know I truly am a weakling.

I hear the captain- Who must be Whitebeard if I am recalling the faces of the bounties correctly, speak about saying one of his sons is my soulmate.

I answer a bit in pain, “Yeah. Yes, that is correct. I would absolutely love to speak more but- Oh my god, I feel dizzy. Please tell me how my injury looks.”

The knife is out and remembering the task at hand, Marco continues to lift my shirt. The knife had hit my mid-back section, barely grazing the scar of the Whitebeard Pirates signature tattoo. I feel his fingers ghost around the injury, and he hums.

“Well?” Thatch asks as he gets up in our business.

Marco pushes the very curious man away and reassures me. “It is not too deep but there is a lot of blood, again not too bad. I should be able to fix it with ease, but you will be sore for a while as if it not healed. Now you are going to feel a burning sensation,” He says softly.

Immediately, his whole hand covers the injury and indeed I feel a burning sensation. However, it is not alarming. It gives off a more of a comforting feel to it as I no longer feel like there is a hole in me. He pulls away, fixes my shirt, and is quick to help me up. He has me stretch and I am in slight awe at how much better I already feel.

“That is so cool. I do feel a bit sore but so much better. Thank you!” I say excitedly before I immediately bow.

Marco chuckles and so does Whitebeard. Thatch immediately slings an arm around my shoulder making his fellow crewmembers a bit angry from the haste decision to get too close to me, since they do not know me.

“Since we are practically family, the name is Thatch! Marco just saved you and the grumpy man you met earlier is Jozu! Now who is the lovely lady gracing us with her presence and- Holy shit- I know who your soulmate is!” Thatch says flipping switches from how excited he is.

Someone new speaks up and offers me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about Thatch. He is not usually so energetic, but we have been sitting around for quite a few months, so his brain is going haywire. Call me Izo. If you are not aware of any commanders feel free to let me know. It can be quite overwhelming trying to put names to faces when there are 16 commanders and a hundred pirates under each division,” Izo says softly.

Okay- This is too great. I am definitely going to do his hair later after we become well-acquainted… Wait. I am getting ahead of myself. I am assuming I will be here for a long while but that may not be the case. I can’t get too excited.

I am thankful for the self-reminder.

I quickly bow again and say, “It is so nice to meet you all! As I said earlier, I have been looking for you for months. I entered the New World about a month ago and got lucky enough to stumble upon an old lady who pointed me to the island we are docked at… Why the heck are there bounty hunters here?”

“Ah. Those three who were starting an unfair fight with you. Usually, we would be clear from all that but after the war, there have been quite a few daring souls trying to find us. Speaking of, Pops, I think we should head back soon,” Jozu states.

Whitebeard nods his head. However, he does not make a move for any orders. Instead, he continues to stare at me with a twinkle in his eye. It honestly makes me only a tad nervous. Okay- Very nervous. He is staring at the scar on my left arm.

“You can tell us more about your journey when we leave. You can get well acquainted with us without the worry about your soulmate because he is with the others at an island we have called home for a while, a few hours away- Hopefully resting like I should be doing. Before we do, would you grant me the knowledge of your name?” Whitebeard asks.

Thatch ruins the moment yet again as he shouts, “I totally knew it was Ace! This is great news-“

Izo shuts up him by knocking him upside the head. I laugh for a moment before my expression falls. I look around and decide to just take a seat where I am. This makes anyone witnessing this stare at me with slight confusion.

“I apologize. I wish I can give you a name, but I do not have one,” I answer.

Marco sits beside me seeming to get the uneasy feeling that I feel from the subject. Thatch takes a seat on my other side and Whitebeard frowns. He takes a moment before ordering everyone to prepare and proceed with departure so that gives us a little bit of space to get to know each other while under the watchful eye of his crew since I am a stranger.

“So, you were telling the truth to those bounty hunters?” Marco asks as he produces the bounty from his pocket.

My eyes widen at it as he hums. “It sure does look like you. Wouldn’t you agree, Pops?” Marco asks as he hands the bounty to Whitebeard.

Whitebeard nods his head as he examines the bounty. “Quite a hefty one, too. Something is telling me you are going to be more than we expect.”

I frown as I realize he is trying to see things from all perspectives because I did lie and say a bit of the truth earlier before I was stabbed.

I try my best to explain. “That is me in the bounty but that is not my name because I have no name. They labeled me with that name because of my Devil Fruit, a Paramecia type. It is called the Sonzai-Sonzai Fruit (Existence). I basically have the power to generate temporary life and control it in inanimate objects and since I have no name, they decided to call me ‘Kame’. But I really do not have a name. I was not given one at birth and growing up I have been strictly called…” I do not want to remember those lowly names.

Whitebeard frowns but does not push me to continue. Instead, he says, “I can only assume it was nothing good given the face you are making. But the name Kame? It usually means long-life so the marines must have taken quite the interest in your power if they want you only alive.”

“It is not them. I really do not want to talk about it yet- But forgive me. I am a stranger and I know sooner or later we will need to talk about this but for now, will you allow me some time before I tell you who is calling me that awful name?” I ask softly.

Whitebeard gives me a soft smile. “Of course. I will give you time as we have plenty of it. Until then, is there any name you truly want to be called?”

No one has asked me that before. My heart races at this choice and I notice that Marco and Thatch are smiling from the genuine surprise and happiness on my face from the question. I have no idea what I can be called. I never had that option and now that it is given to me, I can’t think of anything clearly.

“Something that fits your lovely appearance!” Thatch suggests.

Marco shakes his head. “It should be something that you can feel freely proud of being called. From what I have witnessed so far, you are strong and came all this way into the New World to find us. That is not an easy feat, yet you did it. This name should have meaning to you and since we are bound to be family you should have joy being called it from us too,” He inputs.

As a few names cross my mind one finally sticks and with hesitation I say it. Though it does come out more of a question in slight fear that it will be rejected.

“(Name).”

Whitebeard smiles widely now, and he says, “It truly is a pleasure to meet you (Name)!”

My heart beats fast. It actually sounds good. Marco and Thatch try it out and it makes me smile. I finally have my own name.

~*~

We have been sailing for quite a few hours now and it is easy for me to say that I already enjoy this crew so much. So, I hope that my soulmate will be happy to see me. They have not spoken much about him yet since they are getting to know me, but I am confident that at least they like me.

Whitebeard has been listening while he drinks (against everyone’s orders) and would ask a question every now and then but nothing about my past so far as promised. It so far was just how long I have been out on the sea. How I have been surviving on pure luck since I only have Haki and my power to rely on.

It surprised them and I guess they have some respect for me since I was completely alone out on the sea as Devil Fruit User. Any smart person would not be out on the sea by themselves when they do not have the power to swim anymore.

“I am so sorry. I keep dozing off. While I was out at sea, I had a terrible sense of time so I would have random bursts of energy before crashing. It is new and I am adjusting but it just sucks being exhausted most of time but yeah- That Granny I told you about. She was so nice to me. I actually got to sleep in at her place,” I murmur with a yawn.

Marco dismisses the apology saying I have nothing to apologize for when Thatch starts to laugh. I bump his arm with my own. “What is so funny?” I ask.

“Nothing. I can just see what a perfect match you and Ace are already! He has a sleeping issue of his own called Narcolepsy where he just falls asleep randomly. You are nice so it should help with his slight temper he still possesses. You are lucky though that you are not meeting him as we did. He would not stop trying to kill Pops with every opportunity he had,” Thatch says laughing.

My eyes widen at the information though. It was nice to hear about him, but the temper has me worried. I mean there was a reason he tried to severe the soulmate bond so if he genuinely wanted it gone, I fear that he really did not want me then.

“…What else is he like?” I ask my voice suddenly meek.

The two males take note of it, but Whitebeard is the one to speak up. “He is a brat but an honorable one.”

“Do you know that he tried to… Um…” I trail off not knowing if I should ask.

Whitebeard nods his head, but this time Marco is the one to speak. “We know. We knew he has a soulmate for a long time, but it has always been a tough subject for him so none of us brought it up. After the war, he told a few of us and word travels fast when you are family. After the war, I notice Ace was not as happy as he should be with the fact that we saved him but… It was because he felt guilty. All he said was that he tried to break the bond. He thought he succeeded and that was the end of that until today.”

So, he honestly thought the bond was broken. My heart is aching at the thought. This was a bad idea. I stand up saying so.

“I need to leave. This was a mistake. Can I take a boat?” I ask feeling dizzy as I panic.

It is obvious that the information bothered me big time and Marco is quick to take my hand as Thatch blocks my way. They are treating me as a scared animal right now and I do not blame them.

“Hey, hey, everything is going to be okay,” Marco says.

Thatch offers me a smile. “Yeah. Do not freak out quite yet because he is going to love you!”

“(Name) please try to calm down. I said before that my son is an honorable man and I meant it. We brought you because you have bothered to come all this way after what he put you through. After he told us what he thought he successfully did, I lectured him. I said it could have been a death sentence for you. We know you were in so much pain and that is why we were shocked. You really came all this way with the purest of intentions and not for revenge. You came here for him even if he tried to sever it. That alone earns the highest of respect from me as someone who has been in a similar position as you,” Whitebeard explains.

His words have a calming effect on me along with one of shock. It must be news to Marco and Thatch too because they are staring at him with wide eyes.

“I will tell you lot later. You can’t back down now because the island is coming up. We should be docked in fifteen minutes so I would mentally prepare yourself,” Whitebeard warns.

He is looking out to the sea now and I follow his gaze to see a rather large island. It looks rather gorgeous from here already.

“This is our current home until we are done with our recovery. I would say a good year or two before we return to the sea for good. It is called Mizu no Hana (Water Flower) Island. I think you will like it,” Marco says softly as he gives me a gentle smile.

It does ease my nerves and he and Thatch stick with me as others start to prepare to harbor there. As we get closer, I can see vivid colors. All of it flowers or colors from the flowers reflecting in the surrounding water. The actual island is green but appears to look like a city too.

Thatch adds in, “It is a peaceful city here. A few live here and they adore us, so they allowed us to take refuge here. There are few hard roads from the beach unless you go to the center of the island where another small town of people, who are not fans of their watery island, stay. Since most of us live on the boat though, we stay near the city by the water where their streets are water and we take boats to get to places. If you have ever been to Water 7 it is kind of like that but more nature-like and less modern vibes. Oh, and less populated. We pretty much can go anywhere though. As we said this is our home and yours too for the time being.”

It truly is stunning and a very well concealed island. I would have never made it here on my own. On the island, I can make out many people on the beach prepared to greet their captain and fellow crewmembers. It warms my heart. Whitebeard and his crew are so far really good in my book and I am so glad to have met them even if it may be short-lived.

As we get closer my stomach starts to churn. Marco reaches for my hand and says, “Whatever happens you will be fine, (Name).”

“Yeah! Even if he does get mad, you already made countless of friends and he will have to get through us before he even considers making you leave,” Thatch adds.

Izo who was listening in- Hits him again on the head for my sake. “You can’t just act like he will be that harsh. You do not want to give off the wrong impression. Ace may have a temper, but he is a good-hearted person. Countless of people have made that clear when they went to go save him in Marineford. (Name)… You will be fine,” Izo says giving me a warm smile.

Their uplifting words make me feel better and the way they say my name as if I really do mean something to them already, makes me feel… Loved. I have not felt that in years. Even if Thatch kind of sucks at cheering me up he does have a point- I already made a ton of friends.

“We are here. Hey, do you want us to stay with you?” Marco asks.

I nod my head and the three stay glued to my side as the others start to unload the ship to give the booze and whatever they got to the pirates stuck here. A few new voices come on board to greet Whitebeard and the other commanders when one strikes a chord in me.

“Hey, Pops! How did everything go?” I can’t even begin to explain the voice or the immediate effect it has on me. It feels like if an angel were talking that is what it would sound like. I know who it is immediately from how fast my heart seems to be beating.

My eyes search for the owner when I spot him. My legs feel shaky from the butterflies swarming in my stomach. He is gorgeous. His wild black hair and oh god- The freckles on his face. I hate how much I already love him, and it was already a lot from before I went searching for him or thought it was him from the bounty.

Seeing him in actual person- It makes me want to melt. Thankfully, my mind does not go farther as the butterflies suddenly do not feel so nice. It feels like they started to swarm to form a tornado in me and I hate. I hate how anxious I feel now.

“Pops- Hey, Marco, Thatch, Izo- What are you…” Ace stops talking.

His eyes finally land on me and I feel like I forgot to breathe. How do you breathe? His eyes are taking every inch of me before landing harshly on my uncovered arm. It now feels like a ticking time bomb as he just keeps his gaze on it.

“Uh… Hey, Ace. You would not believe who we met!” Thatch tries to break the ice.

Oh my god. Out of all the things he could have said. It seems he made the bomb go off. Ace’s eyebrow twitches a few times before his face is completely void of emotion as he turns around. I feel like he is stomping like a child before I hear a sizzling crashing sound. He just set a box on fire…. And now he is walking off the ship.

“Well… That could have gone worse?” Thatch asks.

Izo hits him on the head and Marco sighs. “It could have gone better too. I am sorry (Name). We need to just let him cool off.”

They say that but I feel like it will not make a difference. I feel like the pain I felt months ago is slowly coming back. I let go of Marco’s hand to shakily reach my chest where my heart lies and I grasp onto my shirt tightly. It hurts… My heart hurts.


	3. Broken Heart Syndrome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mhm for this chapter think of Undertale with the Waterfall/Cave areas [(Image for reference)](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fa/a6/d2/faa6d28dc80fd7f13093958b5388b180.png)! Enjoy the longish chapter and let me know what you think with the backstory and any questions!
> 
> So Capone Bege is a canon character in One Piece but since we don't know the other four families I created two oc's head families of West Blue. (If you don't know there are five families that deal with underworld operations in One Piece and Bege was/is one of them before deciding to become a pirate).
> 
> Here is a reference to one of my oc's that we hear about in this chapter: [Tetsuo Shi](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2d/2d/bd/2d2dbd0dca10fd250591fb535d01f487.jpg)

The three stare at me for a moment, worry etched onto their faces. They know I am feeling hurt. I try my best to ignore the way my eyes sting with the need to cry and it works. I take a few deep breaths and the pain slowly turns into a numbing feeling for now.

“Just a few more hours and it will be dark. He should be cooled down come morning. (Name), I would like to take you to a special place. It is a cave near the city. Marco, Thatch, Izo, you three will come with us,” Whitebeard orders.

His voice is gentle when talking to me before turning normal when informing the others. The three look confused before nodding. They seem to know what place he is talking about as they grow excited to take me there.

“You are going to love it! We said earlier but the island is called Mizu no Hana Island, and at night- Well, you will see!” Thatch says happily before finally helping with the rest of the boxes.

Izo pats my head with a gentle smile on his face before helping too. Marco just stares at me for a brief moment. “It would be best to wait by Pops. He seems to trust you so I do too, but it may take a while for the others to grow to trust you since you are new. Do not take it to heart if they test you,” He warns before also leaving to help.

I let out a sigh and take a seat where I am. I no longer care where my jacket is either since the big secret is out and Ace has already seen the scar. I have a feeling that I am going to come clean about my past sooner rather than later when Whitebeard shows me around. The thought makes me saddened and I know I will not be able to stop myself from crying when I do tell them.

Another part of me yearns to tell them though. So far, they have trusted me enough to take me here and they all seem welcoming so far despite the few looks I have received in warning. Overall, I think telling them my past will prove to benefit me in the long run and if not- I will not regret telling them.

~*~

The air gets colder and I get a bit grumpy as I finally reach for my jacket. I do not want it anymore, but I feel chilly. No one else in the Whitebeard Pirates has really talked to me. They are all keeping their distance but every now and then Whitebeard tells me who is who and not to worry as they are just trying to get used to my presence.

“We finally finished stocking up. The chief of the island says thank you for the gifts. Thatch just finished dinner with the kitchen crew,” Marco informs Whitebeard.

He brought a drink for me. I take the warm cup and notice its contents to be hot chocolate. “Thatch said it should warm you up. You wanna eat?” He asks me with that gentle smile of his.

I smile back and thank him before saying, “I think I am good. I do not quite feel hungry.”

It was an obvious lie from the way my stomach growls from smelling the hot chocolate but a lie they do not push. They know I am out of my element from being in a new place and having my soulmate react to me the way he did.

“Go get your fill then, I want you, Izo, and Thatch to meet us at the cave. We will start our way there now,” Whitebeard orders.

Marco nods and wastes no time to go and eat. I did catch the little worry he had in his eyes from the movement Whitebeard made to get up. It takes Whitebeard just another try before he stands up fully and I become aware of how tiny I am compared to the world’s strongest man. He is extraordinary.

Despite any injuries he has had and still has from the war- He still holds so much strength.

After I finish my hot chocolate, he sets the pace for our journey to a slow one, more for my sake than his. I feel so odd walking behind him, but I can feel the care he holds for me already as he glances behind his shoulder every now and then to make sure he is not leaving me behind. We make it to the city close to the beach and my eyes widen at what I see.

A beautiful city living on the water. It is nothing like I have ever witnessed before, as Thatch said earlier, not like a modern village. Most of everything is made of wood or some material- A mixture of glass but not easily breakable. It all reflects the water and the flowers giving off the city the appearance of a chameleon for being able to hide in plain sight as the nature around hides them. 

I do notice that they have pathways with the glass-like material to walk on but most of the locals are using rowboats to get to their destination. Whitebeard takes me further in, saying hi to people every now and then, and as we go further the water slowly turns into land. This must be the edge of the city.

The path we are using eventually turns into just a dirt path but instead of following it, Whitebeard leads me off the path and into the jungle of the island. He pauses and points to a simple marker- An x in the tree.

“Where we are headed- Is a valued place of the island. The chief of the island has allowed us to go there any time we wish as long as we respect the surrounding area and not bring it harm. It has a certain property to it- A healing one, though physical healing does not seem to be the type this area does, it does bring a certain clarity to one’s mind,” Whitebeard says.

I can only nod as I grow curious as to where our destination is. We go farther into the heart of the forest until we come across a hidden cave. It is hidden by bushes and trees. Whitebeard allows me to go in first and the tunnel is dark.

“Just a few more minutes and we can go further in. Those three should be here too by then since they are quite an impatient bunch,” He says with a chuckle.

The silence between us is comfortable and makes me a bit happy that I can feel at peace. It gives me a sense of belonging until I remember this is temporary. Every time I give myself that painful reminder- It is like someone is squeezing my heart.

“We are here!” Thatch’s voice calls out.

Just as they show up the tunnel slowly becomes bright. I feel a hand on my shoulder and gives me a gentle squeeze. It is Izo and Marco just smiles as he motions to watch. The tunnel walls are still dark but slowly, ever so slowly, a dim blue light begins to shine from flowers and plants in here. My eyes widen as it becomes a bright blue light. The tunnel is now serene.

“Cool, isn’t it? I think my flames match it perfectly,” Marco whispers.

It pulls me out of the scene before us and I turn as he shows me his power. A small blue flame lays in his hand. I realize that the flame must be how he healed me earlier. Whitebeard begins to take the lead again and we follow in tow as Izo and Thatch explain Marco’s devil fruit powers. He has a powerful one- A Mythical Zoan type fruit that gives him the ability to turn into a phoenix.

“Marco the Phoenix…” I murmur in awe.

He smiles.

“That is not just it! Marco already showed you his power this morning. He can make easy injuries go away with ease, but it is most effective to heal himself. However, that name, we don’t call him Marco the Phoenix but Marco the Pineapple!” Thatch is hit on the head and falls to the ground.

Ah… So do not call Marco a pineapple. I make a mental note as Thatch lays there dramatically before he pops back up and hurries to catch up with us.

Izo laughs. “Sorry Marco, but half the crew calls you that. It does not help that you resemble one and that it is your favorite food.”

Marco is thankful when the tunnel finally ends, and we finally enter the cave. It is a large dome-like area but what is shocking and amazing me is the lake in here and how there are a few trees around the lake as if it were protecting it. It appears to be shallow. All the plants, flowers, and moss down here are the same bright blue though the middle of the lake is a dark green color. This whole cavern just reminds me of the night sky.

“This… Is beautiful,” I whisper.

Thatch agrees. “Ain’t it? The water color even happens in the city. Nowhere else. However, since you guys are fruit holders- You can actually go in this water as it holds no sea salt. I do not advise trying it out with the city water though.”

Whitebeard walks around the lake to where a tree seems to have made a connection with a cave wall- forming an odd cliff and he has us sit against the base of it so we can peer at the scenery as he gets ready to speak.

The man sits in front of us and it makes me think for a moment that this is what a storytime must have felt for younger kids. That is until I see the forlorn look o his face and he seems to hesitate before he does speak.

“I have never told anyone, but I had a soulmate as well. It is why I can sympathize with (Name) so much and why-“ Whitebeard is cut off by Marco briefly.

“Why you got mad at Ace when he told you he severed his soulmate bond,” Marco murmurs a bit in awe as he soaks this information in.

Whitebeard nods his head. “The only person who ever knew was my sworn enemy. Gol D. Roger and even then- He sympathized with me after he found out what happened because he was also someone who had a soulmate. It is so rare in our world to be chosen as a soulmate bearer but once we are it is even more difficult to find our soulmate because of the vast sea and dangers lurking in it. It is another reason why I respect you (Name). You came all this way to find my son and you are one who has survived the pain of an almost severed bond.”

I gulp a bit out of nervousness and a bit out of unease from remembering that pain. I still have phantom pains of it, and it is difficult to explain how they feel but thankfully Whitebeard seems to have the words.

“My anger was strong at Ace’s decision because I honestly thought he had severed it and ruined his chance at what he deserves, a love like no other. Since I had thought that to be the case, I thought (Name) had died. The pain she felt- I would not even wish it on my worst enemy. I felt it once upon a time ago too. I had a mark, a brilliant one- on the nape of my neck. It was a simple one too- A triangle with a line through it. Some told me it represents the Earth and I used to be so proud to show it off,” He murmurs as his hand goes up to where the symbol would be on his skin.

My eyes follow and I frown at the empty space. His story hurts me.

He continues, “I was able to travel the world with a past crew and I could not quite explain it but at this one island before entering the New World, I had the urge to explore. It was there I met my soulmate, purely out of luck since I had no idea where to look and I had sort of accepted I may ever know them. I have never seen a more stunning female in all my life. Her hair was the perfect shade of a rose and her eyes a stunning blue. She was sweet but cautious. I had wanted to protect her with my life.”

Thatch sits up more upon feeling the tone of the story change. Marco and Izo remain serious looking. However, I reach for their hands and they squeeze mine in reassurance.

“I suppose she really did want to give me a chance. That and she had no idea who I was. It was not until she introduced me to her friends did she find out. My bounty hung on the wall and the worst part of all of this was seeing that look of fear on her face. She thought that I had tricked her and would cause her harm. She hated pirates with a passion and despite our rather nice experience of getting to know each other and beginning to really fall in love- She broke it. She did not have to say anything because I could feel her hatred and fear for me as declared to herself, she did not want me. That is all it takes- A genuine feeling of not wanting your soulmate for the bond to be severed. This was a harsh case as I felt immediate pain in my heart. I thought I was dying but I held a brave face. I apologized to her and wished her well despite the immediate hurt she caused me and since I thought I was dying I wanted to do so near the ocean. I held on until I got back on the ship, my crewmates surprised to see me fall so easily and they had a hunch on what occurred,” Whitebeard pauses.

Marco is in shock and his hand shakes in mine as he states, “You were dying of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.”

“Isn’t that Broken Heart Syndrome?” Izo questions.

Thatch and I are confused and he voices my question, “That is really a thing?”

Whitebeard nods his head. “Yes. I am sure you felt something similar (Name). I was dying from my heart being rejected by the one meant to be mine. The moment she declared me not hers, my soulmate mark vanished. It felt like my heart would squeeze into itself and my body was overheating constantly. I could not move, let alone eat and drink. The pain of a bond being severed lasts a few days but since I did not agree to it mine lasted two weeks. If she had communicated with me, I would have agreed since being a pirate would surely affect her life but she did not give me any choice so it was my pain alone to deal with and try not to die from. By some miracle, I pulled through but after my pain-filled haze, I had found out something terrible has been done. The crew I was in wanted vengeance for me. They thought she had done the worst thing to me since all I had ever longed for was a family of my own. They found her while I was dying and she was in a state of happiness from being free of me, her pirate soulmate, and felt the need to make her suffer. There is a reason I moved on from the crew and it is because they killed her. I felt like I died twice. I did not wish any harm upon her because she was innocent, but they felt like she did me wrong- And maybe she did but killing her was too far. I wanted her to have a happy life and if I wasn’t in it that was okay with me,” Whitebeard murmurs his story coming to an end.

All of us are shocked. Hearing his story pulls me straight back to the worst pain I felt six months ago and suddenly… I begin to cry. I am shaking and Marco and Izo are quick to look at me with worry. Thatch frowns and Whitebeard allows me all the time in the world to cry for him and our shared pain. Even if the only difference is, I still have my soulmate. Even if he does not want me, I survived the nearly broken bond.

“I shared this with you because I trust you and I can see the pain in your eyes. You do not want to leave us. You searched for us for months. I will tell my foolish son to stop his tantru-“

I cut him off with my voice cracking. “No- You don’t need to do that. I- Don’t want to leave at all. I only met you guys today, but I feel like I have known you all my life. I feel comfortable here and I should not. Sooner or later I will be forced to face a reality of my life and because of that- I will agree to break the soulmate bond. It was not fair of me to come here thinking I had a chance when he thought he destroyed it.”

“Hey, do not say that. You deserve to be happy too,” Thatch whispers.

Marco asks the question they have been wanting to ask, “What are you running from?”

“Bad people. I- I will tell you everything since you guys have been so honest and generous to me. I was born on an island in West Blue. The island being a main operation for the Five Families of the West,” I begin.

I can feel Whitebeard’s immediate curiosity growing along with his protectiveness. He knows what I am about to say is not good news.

“A lot of shady things happen in West Blue and since I was born on an island where one of the main operations is, I had to work since I was young. My parents disowned me the second they saw my soulmate mark- There they believed it would only bring bad luck and in a way it did. They gave me away and I was forced to do just heavy labor. I had no name and neither did the other kids who worked alongside me. We had to constantly steal food to survive otherwise we would waste away. One day, I stole a fruit and since I had no knowledge of the real word I did not realize what I stole was a Devil Fruit. It did not take long for them to find out who stole the fruit and things went downhill since the fruit was merchandise for one of the Five Families of the West,” I murmur.

I do not continue yet. I look around and find a few stray small twigs. With some moss floating in the lake I grab it and am quick to make a makeshift stick doll. They watch me curiously as I blow on the doll gently, a strange hazy mist coming out of my mouth and sticking to the doll.

I put it on the ground and decide on a personality. “Friendly.”

The stick doll begins to move.

“No offense but that is terrifying,” Thatch states as the doll makes its way to him.

I laugh while both Izo and Marco hit him upside the head. I reply with a sad tone. “Maybe it is. I had to rely on these kinds of fake dolls once I was found out. They became the only things I can rely on. I did not want to say it earlier because this is how I view myself- But the names I was called since I had no name were simple ones that they call all the laborers. Girl, boy, thing, trash, garbage, thief, waste of space- My personal favorite, worthless girl. The names were constant when they found out I was the one who stole the fruit. They had to keep me under watch since they still had plans to sell the fruit- They would decide to sell me or kill me to find the fruit again. They decided to sell me because the buyer decided I can be used as a weapon. I got just a little bit lucky. The one they wanted to sell the fruit to was one of the most feared mafia gangs. I am sure you heard of Capone Bege. It was not him but I had the pleasure of meeting him because the buyer was an ally of his despite them being rival gangs,” I murmur.

The pregnant pause is a bit heavy as I take a moment to remember the kind man that ended up buying me. His long white hair, his gentle but wise eyes, and that everlasting scowl that I swear was always plastered on his face. Even if it was out of slight pity, he took care of me.

“You don’t mean the Shi family, do you? Jozu had a few run-ins with them when he was young,” Izo says softly.

I nod my head a smile on my face. “The head of the family, Tetsuo, was a kind man to me and ruthless to everyone else. He ended up buying me. He helped trained my Devil Fruit powers and taught me how to read and write. Though he tried to keep himself at a distance. He always referred to me as Girl- Nothing more or less. Without him, I would probably be in a ditch somewhere. He is still alive as far as I am concerned but our relationship is no more. He had to throw me out because another family took interest in me. The day I turned seventeen I received Ace’s tattoos and it became obvious I was a soulmate. Tetsuo ended up putting me on a tight leash. I was to never leave my room and became a prisoner instead of a laborer. The thing with my dolls returned in full. I would like to believe he had my best interests at heart but maybe he was selfish in keeping me? I do not know but a year ago I was to attend a family dinner- Tetsuo was going to finally tell me what they were going to do with me and he wanted to welcome me into the family but that turned out a terrible idea. His family opposed it saying that I was just a weapon, a worthless human who had no right to invade their family. It was a mistake because a rival gang being the Eilifr family finally found out I was a soulmate. The heir of that family, Audhild, ended up becoming head and found out through spies that I was there. His family has been researching soulmates and for some odd reason, he wanted to meet one. Tetsuo told me that it was not a good sign because of the rumor-“

Whitebeard cuts me off, “The rumor that soulmates are hereditary. While you grew up in a place where bearing a soulmate mark was bad luck others knew it was good luck.”

“Yes. It is he, Audhild, who is behind naming me ‘Kame’. He did not have the pleasure of meeting me because Tetsuo threw me out after a few harsh words that were reminders. Not to get close to everyone because my place will always be temporary. I was out on my own running from people who I thought wanted to harm me. I did not even think of my soulmate much because I thought they would never want someone like… Well me. That is until I heard the big news of Ace being captured and I recognized the tattoo on his shoulder because it was the scar on mine. I was hesitant that it was him, but I started to collect bounties and grew too curious about him. It was six months ago I received the pain you talked about. I thought I was dying until I remembered more rumors- About rejection. I knew I was unlovable. Nobody wanted me- Even my soulmate. This was the proof. I was dying, my heart hurt so bad, and I was just wishing for it to end. It did not end in death. I found myself in a bed I did not recognize. Some family found me passed out and dying and took me in. They had no idea what was wrong with me, but they did not give up on me and I guess I just turned out lucky that Ace did not severe it all the way and they showed me the news of the Marineford War. You all came out alive. It was a long shot and I just went through hell, but I had to know if it was really him and here we are,” I finish choking up a bit.

The still alive doll is now walking between Marco and Izo. They all are silent, processing my words. When one of them speaks up it is Thatch, and I am already expecting a nonserious response from him.

“Just so you know, we are not licensed therapists. Well Marco could be I guess but-“ They hit him since he is joking around.

It does make me feel a bit better that he can joke around because that means he sees me as a friend.

“Just so you know (Name). You are loveable and wanted,” Izo states.

Marco and Thatch nod their head agreeing before the latter asks, “Wait- Can you explain your power more? Yeah, the doll thing is growing on me but there is no way they wanted you to make dolls.”

“Correct. I just prefer making dolls out of inanimate objects. They bring me a sense of comfort. They wanted me to create soldiers- Fake humans and giants- Out of objects. I can make things alive and depending on how big or small they are it can last a while or not long at all. I can give them a personality since or task but that makes my energy run out faster. That is the downside. Making things come to life costs my own energy and I get tired and weak,” I answer.

Taking that information in Whitebeard finally speaks. “Thank you for trusting us with all this information. I do believe that you had an exciting day. Thatch will take you back to the ship where a room will be ready for you to retire in. Try and rest (Name). Do not worry about leaving and running quite yet.”

He does not need to tell me twice. I feel exhausted. I stare at the doll before saying goodbye to it. That is how the object's life source depletes. It falls to the ground and is no more. Thatch takes my hand and begins to lead me back to the ship, all with a gentle smile on his face.

~*~

“Pops-“ Marco murmurs as soon as the girl leaves.

Whitebeard is scowling. She has so much to bear and it just sucks. He really likes her and wants her to join his family but-

“You two can come out now,” He states.

Marco waits for them to reveal themselves as Izo looks a bit guilty. He had no idea they were here until (Name) started to tell her story. Ace jumps off the cliff landing in front of them, a guilty look on his face as Haruta lands beside him with just a saddened look on his own face.

“Well?” Whitebeard asks.

It comes out a bit with disappointment since he wants Ace to give her a chance and after they heard everything, he is no doubt going to.

“I will give her a chance- I just want one more piece of proof before I do. I know it is her, but my mind will not stop making me think I did kill her. I did not want any of this to happen. I did not want to cause her the harm I did or to make her think she was like me- Unlovable,” Ace whispers.

His eyes hold pain as he thinks he does not deserve her- An angel for coming all the way here for him after the pain he caused her. He does not deserve her at all but he will give her the chance she does need.

“It is just not fair to her. She got stuck with someone like me. Someone who holds the devil’s blood in his veins,” Ace murmurs.

His fellow crewmembers can’t say anything to that. They all have been working hard these past few months to help Ace in his way of thinking. To show that he does deserve a family (which he fully believes now) but now that the one thing he thought he destroyed is here, he is slowly returning to his old thinking. That he does not deserve the kind of love that is told in fairytales and rumors. He does not deserve to be one with the person meant for him. It took them ages to help with his thinking and now that he is backtracking they can only hope that (Name) and her own way of similar thinking will help them both out as they try and push them to a good path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay for clarification Ace really did think he hurt/killed her but he had no way of knowing because he was not aware the soulmate mark would go away. Whitebeard did not think to ask because Ace was so sure that he severed the bond and he remembered the pain he went through himself.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	4. I Do Not Want to Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace has a condition before he gives Reader a chance... That condition may have set her off but it does lead to a one-on-one talk with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the lack of updates from me- Life has been overwhelming. Anyway, what kind of a person would I be if I didn't update Ace's story on his birthday? 
> 
> I just had to so you go! Here is a wee bit of angst with beginning fluff for it! I hope you enjoy.
> 
>  ~~I am so sorry if you can see my thirst for Marco in this story- falskdfakls I may or may not have him crush on Ace's soulmate just for some added angst FLADSFAL~~ Thatch already does but he always does in my stories lol
> 
> Warning: The only warning for this chapter is reader is extremely bold so just a suggestive thing she does when her anger gets control of her.

I can’t sleep.

  
For the first time since I left that granny’s bar and actually felt safe- I can’t sleep. Thatch had left me to this room and exhaustion is felt deep within my bones but- I want to keep this feeling of being safe in me. I know I will have to leave sometime tomorrow and that is why I can’t sleep. I want to keep living this dream.

  
They have been so kind to me and seem to genuinely want me around but- It will not last.

  
I can at least treasure this feeling of being safe and the way they looked at me as if I meant something to them. It hurts but I understand. Whitebeard understands too. That made this even more bittersweet. He understands the pain of rejection, so he feels for me the most.

  
I do not know how long I stare at the ceiling of my room but I suppose it is too long. Eventually, I hear the chirping of birds from the island, signaling it is morning. Dread is slowly filling up my being and I can feel the hot angry tears start to pool in my eyes making my vision blurry.

  
I do not want to leave.

  
I want to stay here.

  
I want to get to know my soulmate.

  
I wish I could be given the chance. 

  
Given the chance to be loved in return because I promise I will love him fully if he would let me.

  
But upon finally meeting me- Even if it were for a brief moment, I do not blame him for not wanting me.

  
I let out an ugly choked sob as I feel the tears get harsher. I do not want to leave.

  
A knock on my door makes me bite my lip. I can’t hide that I have been crying. It is too obvious from how upset I am. The knock happens again. It does not sound like they are leaving. They probably want me off the ship right away then.

  
With a shaky breath, I answer, “Come in.”

  
It is Marco. He pauses upon seeing my broken form. Immediately, he closes the door in case any of his brothers pass by and see and I am grateful that it is him kicking me out.

  
“Hey- What’s wrong?” He asks in a gentle tone.

  
My hand clutches at my heart when I feel the pangs from my sorrow, but I do my best to tell him how much they mean to me already.

  
“It has been an honor to meet you guys. I will never forget your kindness,” I manage to say without choking.

  
He looks confused for a moment before he realizes- “Oi, do not say that. We are not kicking you off. We said it before, but you have a home here and well- We talked to Ace, or more like he talked to us and said he is willing to give you a chance… On one condition.”

  
He does not elaborate.

  
Instead, Marco takes a seat next to me and without a word wraps an arm around me. He is trying to comfort me, and it is working already. I cling onto him- Utterly grateful for his kindness yet again. He is allowing me this moment to fully cry before he tells me the condition.

  
That makes me a tad nervous, but I still accept the unspoken offer. I let my frustrations and fear from seconds ago return in full- The ugly sobs return, and I muffle them with his shoulder. All the while he pats my back gently.

  
When my crying fit is done, and I am emotionally spent- I finally remove my snotty face from his shoulder. Marco offers me a gentle smile as he wipes at the wetness on my cheek.

  
“Do you feel better? I promise we will not kick you out. Thatch has been spreading his love for you out on the deck- He and Izo hold you in high regards already so the other crewmates are coming around,” He says softly.

  
I nod my head before I meekly ask, “What is the condition Ace has? I am grateful that you want me to stay here but it is pointless if it will hurt my soulmate.”

  
Marco understands my words, but he winces at the condition.

  
“He- wants to see the mark you two share. Not the scars of his tattoos but the original mark that proves you are his,” Marco murmurs.

  
This… Somehow hurts me more. It may be the lack of trust that Ace has for me- I do not blame it for that but him wanting to see what binds us together? It is near our most intimate places so not only am I embarrassed but I am upset that this is the condition he has. It feels like he thinks that scars are fake- That I am a fake.

  
“Hey, I can try to knock some sense into him if you want. Most of us know where it is since he came clean about it ages ago. I do not blame you if it bothers you-“

  
I cut him off- My tone too sharp but I will apologize later. I am too peeved. “I understand fully. If he wants to see he will- Might as well have witnesses though since the scars aren’t enough.”

  
My tone is too bitter, and I hate it, but my emotions feel out of whack. Marco is confused until I pull him by his hand. He senses my anger but stays silent as we go out onto the deck. A lot of people are there, and I feel bad for the slightly inappropriate move I am going to make.

  
My eyes fall on Ace’s back and the anger and guilt start to rise as I think of the condition. He is standing and chatting to Thatch and Izo- From the looks of it is a serious talk, so I have a feeling it is about me. I interrupt when I place Marco right by them.

  
All of them go silent and Ace’s eyes are wide upon seeing me. He is about to speak up when I put my finger up to silence whatever he is going to say. My eyes look around the deck for a chair and I find one. I am swift to go get it and bring it back.

  
“(Name)… What are you doing?” Marco asks already knowing this is about to escalate.

  
I do not say a word as my fingers start to fumble around the button of my pants. All of their eyes widen and Thatch and Izo begin to stutter while Marco tries to speak before I go through with it. It is too late- I pull my pants down and nearly kill all of them as their faces warm up.

  
“Pull your pants back up! Wait- Are those stars on your underwear?” Thatch asks.

  
Marco hits him on the head as I sit on the chair and immediately point to the mark on my inner thigh. I stare at it for a few seconds before forcing my gaze to Ace. His cheeks have a light pink hue on them, but his lips are pulled in a tight thin line- A scowl, no doubt not liking how far I went to show up his condition.

  
Marco and Izo finally realize what happened and put a hand over their eyes. Thatch continues to stare before he turns around while Ace stops his gaze into my own eyes to return his eyes back to my soulmate mark- Our soulmate mark.

  
It is quiet out on the deck as the others realize what happened too. Until Whitebeard starts to howl with laughter.

  
“You are a cheeky brat (Name). You will fit right in. Now that you are fulfilled your condition, I will be the first to say welcome to the crew. We hope that the chance Ace gives you will lead to a permanent position in our family,” Whitebeard states as he finds the way I handled this situation amusing.

  
I nod my head at him- Grateful that he is not mad at the measures I took. I stand up and pull my pants back up. The others finally can look at me, but their faces still hold slight embarrassment (and lowkey interest).

  
“Thank you. I do believe I need some time alone to cool off. I will be heading to the city,” I murmur.

  
Marco quickly pulls out a pouch for me to take. “Here. A welcoming gift. Go buy some clothes since you are staying longer with us,” He says now cool and collected after my stunt.

  
I thank him and refuse to look at Ace- I can feel his hard stare on my back as I leave and now that I had done what I did- The anger is slowly leaving, and the guilt is growing. I would definitely not blame him now if he hated me.

  
The rest of the day goes by rather fast as I get myself some new clothes and even some materials to make my dolls. I return to the ship briefly to put my clothes in my room before I deem, I have enough time to go back to the cave.

  
Whitebeard did say we are allowed to go there as long as we are respectful, and I definitely need to feel the clarity of the water.

  
As I begin to walk there- I notice how dark it starts to get and as I walk through the water city, the water really does begin to turn into that magical blue I saw last night. It is stunning. The walk is rather quick- Or feels that way since I am by myself and I enter the hidden cave again.

  
It feels different since the cave is already lightened up. Still as beautiful as ever. I walk until I am in the dome shape area again and I really do feel better already being here. I did not bring up any backup clothing, but I don’t want to take anything off, so I foolishly go into the lake with my clothing on.

  
Surprisingly- The water is not cold. It is a lukewarm temperature and as promised- I am not tired at all now that I am in it. I take a seat near the middle of the lake and the water just comes up to my waist as I sit. Shallow again as promised.

  
I feel much better- And sadder now that the anger from what happened earlier is officially gone. The guilt is simmering too to a more of an accountable feeling. I sit there for quite a while and let the events of what happened yesterday and today play through my mind.

  
Until I hear a small snap- I turn my head and see that Ace is at the entrance of the tunnel. He freezes upon seeing me and his gaze seems to fall.

  
I thought he was going to turn and walk back out, but he takes hesitant steps to where I am- But stays out of the lake. When he is close to me without touching the water, he squats down. When he hesitates to speak, I speak up.

  
“I owe you an apology,” I murmur.

  
His eyes widen at this and he speaks too now. “No- It is me who owes you the apology. You came all this way bearing proof of our bond through scars and I asked you to show me our mark as if the scars were not good enough. Marco and Izo explained to me how that would have been insensitive to you and for that I am sorry.”

  
I shake my head again and respond, “No. I think you were in the right. It was valid for you to be cautious and want to see the real bond mark. I acted out of anger and showed not only you but others the bond near an intimate place when I should have just shown you. I am sorry too about that.”

  
Ace laughs. “It is okay. At least we got witnesses now.”

  
That makes me smile since I had that similar thought earlier. We both have a gentle smile on our faces and I feel bad again.

  
“Hey- We never had a proper introduction,” He states.

  
I nod my head and he continues, “You already know my name but I am Portgas D. Ace. You are (Name)…?”

  
“Just (Name) is fine. It is a pleasure to have a proper introduction and Ace… Thank you for giving me a chance. I hope I do not disappoint you,” I murmur.

  
His eyes widen and his cheeks redden slightly before all he says, “No- I hope I don’t disappoint you.”


End file.
